Photography buisness

[mx344]

Hey guys, have any of you personally charged to photography people?

If so, how was the experience, and how much did you charge?

I'm considering getting into this cause I think it'd be fun to take more pictures, and it'd give me something to do, and I need some money for a mission trip I plan on taking this summer.

I'm only looking into on location photography atm.

 

[carnatic]

Working out how much to charge can take up a lot of time and there is no easy answer, you just have to do your own research. Things to consider are the business costs you have to cover, mileage, P&P and other costs incurred in the commission, how much you need/want to pay yourself, how much clients are prepared to pay, how much other photographers in your area charge etc. Personally after ensuring I was charging enough to cover all the other aspects, I fine-tuned my prices to be about average compared to my competition

You also need to decide how to charge, this is a bit easier to offer advice on. Most photographers charge per hour (or per half-day). I offer half-day and full-day packages that include a set number of hours and a set number of photographs, for extra of each the client pays extra.

 

[Geoff]

I had a small sports photography business for a while, I started off doing it just for fun, I went to a website where people could order prints and then I started shooting some sporting events for middle and high schools. I slowly gained views, and eventually people starting to purchase some, not many, but a couple photos at a few bucks each depending on the size. I then was asked to photograph a softball tournament that lasted 3 days, it was a LOT of work and I only ended up making about $200, but if you factor in the long days I worked, setup time, editing time, and stress, it was NOT worth it.

For me, that made me get out of photography all together, even as a hobby, it wasn't until a few months ago that I started to get back into it, and even know I don't enjoy it like I used to. Personally, I prefer to keep hobbies and careers separate, since being told what to photograph and what they want, for me, takes away the enjoyment of photography.

 

[mx344]

Thanks guys, i see, I never thought of that aspect of it, omega.

 

[TFT]

Personally, I prefer to keep hobbies and careers separate, since being told what to photograph and what they want, for me, takes away the enjoyment of photography.

Now those are wise and true words, I'm no photographer but I can understand the enjoyment of photographing how I want it to be and what works for me. Then to be told to photograph what works for someone else that may conflict with my beliefs sort of takes the edge of it a little.

 

[Geoff]

Now those are wise and true words, I'm no photographer but I can understand the enjoyment of photographing how I want it to be and what works for me. Then to be told to photograph what works for someone else that may conflict with my beliefs sort of takes the edge of it a little.

The same could be said for computers. I used to love them, I was constantly upgrading, keeping up to date on the latest changes and what's coming out, always enjoyed building computers and pricing them out for myself and friends. However now that I've been working with computers for the past 3 years, I don't enjoy it as I used to.

If you really enjoy a hobby, you should keep it as that, a hobby. Or at the very most if you want to try to make some money off it, do it on the side as a little extra income, don't try to make a living off it.